All Baloch Armed Groups Banned; Fc Given Police Powers

The Minister refused to provide details about the targeted action in few districts and said he can not name the districts however he says when action will be taken the people and media would know about it.

QUETTA: In an unanticipated move, the federal government has empowered the Frontier Corps (FC), a central government force, to use all police powers in carrying out arrests, search and detain people. The powers were given to the FC personnel, 95% of who come from provinces other than Balochistan, for a period of three months.

The government also has imposed a ban on five Baloch armed groups and frozen their accounts.

The Interior Minister, Rehman Malik told a news conference that the decisions taken during a high level meeting held at Chief Minister's Secretariat on Wednesday to review the law and order situation in Balochistan. It was decided to act in order to restore the falling writ of the Government in certain districts of Balochistan which the Interior Minister did not specify.

He also clarified that government is not intended to launch a crackdown or a full-fledged military operation in Balochistan like the one in Swat. The circumstances are different in Balochistan, the Minister argued deviating from his earlier statement made on arrival. He said a small percentage of Baloch outlaws are involved in terrorist activities.

Interior Minister was of the view that police is incapable to take action against the militants possessing sophisticated weapons. Thus the police powers had been transferred to FC to carry out search in any area or district of Balochistan where writ of the Government is challenged.

He denied that it was an operation relaunched. It will be a targeted action on the basis of real intelligence reports against the outlaws he said adding that Police will lead the action and FC will assist it. He said that the powers had been given to Chief Minister of Balochistan to decide where to use FC. The force will work under his directives for three months, he added.

He said no steps will be taken without taking on board the Balochistan Government. Federal Government will also assist the provincial government in case it needed force, arms or improvement in intelligence gathering.

He also announced a complete ban on five Baloch armed groups including Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Liberation United Front (BLUF), Baloch Liberation Front (BLF), Baloch Mussalah Diffa Tanzim (BMDT) and they will not be able to hold any bank accounts and carry on any activity in province. The last one had been created by pro-establishment people at the behest of the government functionaries and it was allegedly involved in kidnapping and target killing of Baloch political activists. It had also hurled threats to newspapers for publishing the statements of Baloch nationalists.

Both the decisions will improve the law and order situation in Balochistan and the government is hopeful for positive outcome, the Minister observed

He announced to ban groups in Balochistan who use words liberation, army and lashkar in the names of their organizations.

"Those who are talking about independent Balochistan are the teenagers and could be counted in finger tips. Hostile agency and countries are providing them money to carry out target killing and bomb blast," he maintained. He said that he had also taken the issue of Balochistan with India and Afghanistan.

"I have recorded my protest with Indian Foreign Minister Chidambrum and Afghan President Ahmad Karzai and also to the United States about their alleged involvement in Balochistan," he said adding that he had also informed the Afghan government that Barhmdag Bugti is in Kabul and commanding insurgency in Balochistan. "I have also informed the American that you people are watching the militants through satellite but we are watching them with our naked eyes."

Responding to a query about missing persons, Malik says "those who had been sent to Afghanistan by BLA were also included in to the list of missing persons. I was informed that around 150 Baloch women are reported to be missing but no one had provided me the list," he maintained adding that Chief Justice of Pakistan had also taken suo motto notice of the issue and majority of the people had been recovered. A Local newspaper had published the list of 150 missing women quoting a Baloch organization.

The Minister refused to provide details about the targeted action in few districts and said he can not name the districts however he says when action will be taken the people and media would know about it.

The Home Minister, Zafarullah Zehri said that no one will be given permission to carry out operation in Balochistan. The provincial government believes on dialogue rather then using brute force, the Provincial Home Minister said

Baloch Student Organisation is a political organization and it must be clear to us and the action will be taken against militant outfits not political parties. Media projected the statement of Rehman Malik with different angle and there was bit misunderstanding," he maintained.

Earlier, he held meeting with Chief Minister Balochistan Nawab Muhammad Aslam Khan Raisani, Home Minister Mir Zafrullah Khan Zehri, Chief Secretary Mir Ahmed Bukhsh Lehri, Home Secretary Akbar Hussain Durrani, IGP Balochistan Malik Muhammad Iqbal and other senior government officials.

He informed them that on the special directives of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, he would himself visit Quetta after every 10 days to monitor the LEA action against outlaws.

It may be recalled that Mr Rehman Malik used very harsh words on arrival here following a briefing on security situation. However, he was softened up next day following a strong opinion from the Cabinet Ministers protesting against his provocative statements polluting the political atmosphere in Balochistan.